As I celebrate my 68th birthday today, I have so much gratitude for the Grace-filled life I am being given. I am blessed to live in Mount Shasta and have the honor to share my beloved Mountain with visitors from around the world and to be married to the woman of my dreams.
I certainly don’t feel any need to receive gifts today. Instead, I am moved to share some birthday presents with you.
I am a coach, not a philosopher, so I would like to offer some practical tools. Below are three simple techniques which have made a big difference in my own journey of healing and awakening:
1) A primary challenge that just about all of us face is breaking our addiction to thinking. Spending more of our precious moments receiving the Present, and less rehashing what was – or worrying about what might be, is a huge key to happiness.
As you soon as I notice that, once again, I’ve been lost in my mind, I ask the question, “Who is aware of that thought?” The obvious answer, of course is “I AM.” But, I don’t settle for just hearing those words in my mind. I take a moment to relax and feel the aware Presence in my heart.
2) Whenever you are in the bathroom, take a moment to stop in front of the mirror. Look into your eyes until your mind stops and you’re just Being with your Self. Then, while still looking into your eyes, say “I love you.”
To take this even deeper, then ask “Where is the you?” and feel the answer in your heart. Then ask, “Where is the love” and finally, “Where is the I.”
When I do this, often the sense of being someone separate dissolves and I feel a sense of spaciousness and Love.
3) When you’re listening to someone speak, notice the gaps of silence between the words. This will bring you into a space of deep listening. You won’t be thinking about how you’re going to respond; you’ll drop into a receptive, being state. When the time comes for you to respond, the appropriate words will naturally flow out of your heart.
Besides making your conversations more enjoyable, this approach will also strengthen your relationships. Everyone appreciates someone who truly listens when they are speaking.
I’ll be celebrating my birthday up on the Mountain today. I always find that the synergy between the magic of Mount Shasta and the birthday Grace makes for a powerful journey. I hope you all have a chance to celebrate a birthday here one of these years.:-)